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Five Mets players who lived up to the hype during their time in New York

ByTim Boyle|
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 30: Mike Piazza talks with the media before the start of a game between the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets at Citi Field on July 30, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Piazza will have his number 31 retired by the Mets during a pre-game ceremony. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 30: Mike Piazza talks with the media before the start of a game between the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets at Citi Field on July 30, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Piazza will have his number 31 retired by the Mets during a pre-game ceremony. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY – JULY 03: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets in action against the New York Yankees during their game on July 3, 2011 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Carlos Beltran

Quite possibly the biggest free agent signing the Mets ever made, outfielder Carlos Beltran joined the organization ahead of the 2005 season. He signed a lucrative deal and in the years that followed, established himself as one of the greatest outfielders the team has ever known.

Beltran smashed home runs, won Gold Gloves, and gave a team looking to rebound from some down years a little more hope. Even though all of the stories ended badly during his time with the blue and orange, Beltran was indeed Amazin.

While some may still hold a grudge against him for his strikeout in the 2006 postseason, it overlooks all of the good he did in the regular season and even in that series. Beltran is one of the least appreciated Mets in recent years. All that’s missing from his resume is a World Series appearance. Unfortunately, his time in Flushing ended before he could take the team there.

David Wright

Finally, there’s David Wright. The Captain. The face of the franchise.

Wright’s hype wasn’t an outstanding one from the very beginning. However, as a first-round draft pick and someone who lit up minor league pitching shortly before his big league promotion, he’s a noteworthy member of this list. Plus, how can you ever leave him off of any positive lists about this organization?

If the mascot wasn’t named Mr. Met, you can bet we’d refer to Wright as this moniker. He is everything this franchise wants its players to be. From the way he plays the game to the way he treats the fans, he’s the perfect baseball player you could ask for.

The hype, while not quite as elevated as other draft picks, trade acquisitions, or free agent signings, was still high for the high school kid from Virginia. Wright led the team to many victories and helped shape the franchise for the better.

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An honorable mention goes out to Johan Santana. While he did pitch well, and even secured the lone no-hitter in franchise history, injuries took their toll on him far too great to sneak into the elite category. The hype for him was great. He needed health to meet it.

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